Warriors: Shadow of the Spirits ~ Book one

The First Fight

Foxkit jumped atop his brothers back unintentionally digging his claws into Forrestkits shoulder blades.

"Foxkit get off!" His brother wailed pawing at Foxkits tail. Foxkit looked at the fern covered entrance and saw some of the apprentices training. He jumped from his brother shoving his face into the dirt. Forestkit growled the best he could, being only a kit, and spat out the dirt from his mouth. Foxkit bounded up to his mother and prodded at her side.

"Momma can I go out into the clearing." Foxkit pleaded to his mother. His brother and sister joined by his side eagerly.

"Go on Moltedleaf let them go." Foxkit looked at Fernfeather with gratitude. She was one of the other queens in the nursery. Her kits aren't born yet but Foxkits mother said she had to stay in the nursery. Foxkit turned his attention back to his mother who thought for a moment.

"Okay, but only if you promise to be back before sundown." Foxkit gleamed at his brother and sister watching as they rolled their eyes ignored him. He started to walk to the entrance of the nursery when there was a sharp pain in his tail. His body fell faster then his brain could process and before he knew it his fur was wet and covered in mud. Foxkit looked up at his sister's smirking face.

"What was that for Winterkit?!" Winterkit snickered strutting past Foxkit with her tail held high.

"Sorry we had to stop you before you killed Fernfeathers kits." Winterkit sneered as she stood at the entrance to the nursery. "Don't you know that clan cats are supposed to kill foxes on sight?" She snapped motioning for Forrestkit to follow her. Foxkit let his head lie in the mud not wanting to get up. 

"I'm not a fox." Foxkit mumbled remembering the first time he saw his fur. His orange red fur, black paws, and white tail tip. 

"She's got a whole lot of mean for not being a whole lot of she-cat, Moltedleaf." Fernfeather whispered quite loudly. Foxkit felt teeth gently grab his scruff and lift him out of the mud. He shook out the big clumps of mud and lifted his now brown tail to his eye sight. Foxkit sighed, "I even have the fluffy tail to." He muttered voice thick with sadness. Ever since Foxkits father Redblaze had told them a story about foxes taking kits and used Foxkit as the example his brother and sister never stopped teasing him. No matter what he did they blamed it on how he looked. Foxkit felt his mothers stare and turned around to meet her eye. She wore an apologetic face, but her eyes showed nothing but determination. 

"You are not what people define you to be Foxkit. You still have your whole life to decide who you want to be. Don't let Winterkit make that decision for you." Foxkit gave his mother a weak smile and padded out of the nursery with his tail low. As the sun hit his fur there was a sudden warmth. Foxkit saw Winterkit and Forrestkit playing with each other just outside the nursery. He saw the apprentices eating fresh kill by their tree stump. Foxkit picked through each of the apprentices trying to find that certain familiar golden tabby fur. His face brightened as he spotted Goldenpaw a little ways away from the stump. Foxkit bounded over to him.

"Hi Goldenpaw!" Foxkit exclaimed with a cheerful tone. Goldenpaw looked up from his mouse and smiled.

"Hey Foxkit what are you up to?" Goldenpaw asked taking another bite of his mouse.

"Nothing." Goldenpaw looked at Foxkits mud soaked fur.

"Why are you covered in mud?" Foxkit looked over his shoulder and glared at Winterkit.

"Winterkit tripped me and I fell in the mud." Goldenpaw chuckled leading Foxkit to give him an annoyed demeanor.

"Well don't let her next time." Foxkit looked at Goldenpaw with a dumbfounded expression.